Getting under the skin of different types of moisturisers

Of the mind-boggling amount of products out there, they will fall into one of four main types.  Knowing what they do and how they do it means you can choose products that reflect your own skin types and any issues you may have.

WHICH MOISTURISER IS BEST FOR ME?

We’re all looking for the perfect match so the closer you can match a moisturiser’s ingredients to your specific needs, the more effective it will be. A moisturiser should help balance the water and oil in your skin, and by achieving the right balance, it will help your skin look healthier and soothe irritations. Happy skin= happy you.

So let’s throw open the bathroom cabinet and lift the lid on how moisturisers work and which one you should be looking for to suit your own skin types and issues.

OCCLUSIVES

First up is Occlusives. These are often quite thick, and they’re most commonly found in petroleum jelly, cocoa butter, jojoba oil, and lanolin.

Occlusives form a film on top of the skin which seals the moisture in making them ideal for extra dry skin.  By trapping the water in your skin, they can be a bit heavy if you have oily acne-prone skin.  In these cases, it’s best to combine occlusive agents with lighter ingredients like glycerin to avoid the potential for breakouts.

CERAMIDES

Next up are Ceramides.  They are produced naturally in the body and work as a skin barrier.  When we have a lack of them, it can cause us to have dry, irritated skin.

Ceramides in moisturisers are just like the ceramides found in your skin, and they penetrate the skin easily which helps seal in that precious moisture.

Using a moisturiser with ceramides will help strengthen your skin barrier, and they are a great choice if your skin is dry and prone to irritation.

HUMECTANTS

Humectants are pretty clever, they draw moisture to dry skin from the thick layer of skin underneath the surface of the skin, called the Dermis and also from humidity in the air. They nourish dry, damaged skin and are also effective on oily skin since they don’t clog your pores.

If you suffer from oily skin Humectants are a great way to make sure your skin is hydrated without adding more oil. Be careful though, use too many and you can dry your skin out so don’t use too much.

EMOLLIENTS

And last, but not least are Emollients or ‘lipids’.  These are used in moisturisers to imitate the lipids and oils that are naturally found in your skin.

They work to fill in space between your skin cells, strengthening your skin barrier.  The skin barrier prevents skin water loss and keeps out irritants that could lead to irritation.

Emollients are great for all types of skin, and they’re especially beneficial for dry, sensitive skin.

Humectants are often combined with occlusives or emollients to prevent unnecessary dry skin which is how Dermalex Repair + Restore works.

DERMALEX REPAIR + RESTORE

Dermalex Repair + Restore has a dual mode of action that contains both Lipids and Humectants. The Lipids fill in the fractures in the skin surface which makes it visibly and tactilely smoother. The Humectants enhance the additional increase in water content.

The clinically-proven formulation utilises a dual mode of action that locks in moisture as the cream is applied, and its patented barrier shield recovery complex helps to rehydrate the underlying skin cells and strengthen the skin barrier.

So the real key to moisturisers is avoiding a bathroom cabinet overflowing with different products that feel like a chore to use and put your trust in products that are clinically proven.  Once you’ve found the moisturisers that work for you, they’ll become an indispensable part of your skincare regime.